


12 Days of Christmas 2019 Day 12

by PatchworkIdeas



Series: GatheringFiKi 12 Days of Christmas 2019 [13]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Decorations, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Theatre
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:33:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21937525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatchworkIdeas/pseuds/PatchworkIdeas
Summary: Fili gets the chance of a lifetime and Kili tries to be a supportive boyfriend without losing his mind in the process.
Relationships: Fíli/Kíli (Tolkien)
Series: GatheringFiKi 12 Days of Christmas 2019 [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1569745
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15
Collections: GatheringFiKi - 12 Days OF Christmas 2019





	12 Days of Christmas 2019 Day 12

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by GatheringFiKi's gorgeous Photoset!
> 
> Posted here with permission, and can be found on Tumblr [here](https://gatheringfiki.tumblr.com/post/189845887778/12-days-of-christmas-day-12-bonus-fullsize-fili)

* * *

It started innocently enough, on the day Fili came in, swept Kili off his feet and joyously told him he got a role in one of the biggest productions of the year. It was just a minor role, part of the company, but it was a _role_. He would be standing in front of thousands and his name would be up with the big stars for the first time! All he had worked so hard for was finally coming together! 

Kili remembered how happy they were, how they had gone to their favourite restaurant to celebrate. How the future had seemed so perfect and bright. Fili would come home, study his lines a bit, often with Kili jokingly trying to do the other parts so Fili could learn the cues, and everything was perfect. 

Then one of the main actors dropped out of the play.  
The whole line up changed. Actors with smaller roles suddenly took on bigger parts, like a strange line-up conga that Fili assured him was completely normal but had Kili's head reeling. His brother enthusiastically explained who now played whom, dropping name after name that Kili could barely keep apart.  
Eventually it became clear what had Fili so uncharacteristically excited. 

He had moved up into a supporting role. 

He would now play an actual character, in several scenes, instead of just being one of the company.  
His dedication and effort hadn't gone unnoticed and the director had handpicked him, giving him preference even over more experienced actors - as long as Fili proved that he was ready for the role and responsibility, that was. 

That's when everything went downhill. 

Fili started reciting his lines at every opportunity. Where before they had jokingly prepared for his role together, Fili was now dead serious and insisted he had to do it alone. Kili was relegated to silently reading the script and checking for slip ups - or even just a silent spectator to a play he was quickly getting sick of. 

Fili put up a rigorous regime for himself: early out, late back, rehearsal bag always meticulously packed and checked and every free minute spend acting.  
Even dusting was accompanied by dramatic lines and occasional gestures that once almost knocked off Kili's lovingly collected figurines. Fili apologised and looked so gutted that Kili just offered to take over the chores until Fili felt ready for his part.  
His brother enthusiastically thanked him for the support, called him the best boyfriend on the planet and promptly went back to practicing. 

It was now, laden with heavy groceries and realizing that he had barely spoken with Fili in over a week, that Kili realized that this would most likely last until the debut of the show, right after Christmas. 

It would be a lonely holiday. 

Kili didn't want to be a killjoy, and he knew how much this meant to Fili. He was _trying_ to be supportive: making sure to silently bring him his food, listening to his own music over headphones - instead of inviting Fili to dance with him in the living room like they used to. He tried to remember the laundry and to not talk too loudly on the phone while Fili's lines filled out their home.  
He _tried_. 

But he was still lonely. 

Fili still woke him up with a soft kiss on the temple every morning.  
Before it had usually been accompanied with a few minutes of blissful cuddling in bed that may lead to other pleasant activities.  
Now it was little more than a quick peck and a soft smile he barely caught through bleary eyes before the other was out of the door and gone for the day. 

Kili loved his brother and was happy all his dreams were coming true.  
He just hadn't thought it would be at the cost of everything they had built together. 

With a sigh he put down the overfilled grocery bags on the snowy pavement. His hands were hurting something fierce from carrying all that weight, and while he couldn't see it through the gloves, he knew there were red lines where the thin strips of the handle had cut into his flesh.  
They usually went grocery shopping together, easily carrying what felt like too much for one person alone.  
Looking around while shaking out his aching hands, he tried to find anything that would distract him for a few minutes, not keen on picking up his heavy burdens anytime soon. 

The nearest display case was all decked out in Christmas decorations. There was a beautiful tree, filled with baubles and glitter and fake snow; wreaths and candles, trinkets, fake wrapped gifts and plenty of different greenery. 

This time last year, he and Fili had been decorating their flat together, bringing back trinket after trinket every day, from tasteful to funny to just downright tacky. 

It had been a fun year. 

Just having moved into their flat a few months prior, they hadn't had any decoration to fall back on. They had probably bought more that month than they would ever need.

Kili had looked forward to pulling everything out with Fili, but he dreaded the thought of touching it on his own.  
His brother certainly wouldn't have the time now or would drop things while repeating yet another blasted line. 

He was just about ready to force himself to pick up his heavy load, sick of his own melancholic thoughts, when he saw it. 

Mistletoe. 

Kili thoughts screeched to a halt as a faint idea started to form in his head. Swiftly, lest he forget his newfound hope, he grabbed his bags and dragged them into the store. 

Fili came back that evening like he always did: notebook in front of his nose, rereading the director's advise like it was gospel.  
Kili enjoyed his bewildered double-take upon seeing the changes to their home and took the opportunity to give him a quick peck on the lips. Taking his bag from him and dropping it into its usual spot, he then led his brother into their living room and to the waiting carry away boxes.  
With all the time he had spent decorating every inch of their place, there just hadn't been enough time to cook something as well. And a reward was more than deserved anyway. 

Predictably, while Fili thanked him and gave him compliments, along with a short apology for having forgotten their decorating plans, he had his nose back into his notes and script before they were fully finished with the food.

Kili hummed beneath his breath while he threw away the little plastic containers and tidied up, carefully keeping a look out for where Fili was moving during his current scene. Knowing them all by heart now, he waited for just the right moment to kiss his brothers cheek before moving on as if nothing had happened.

Carefully hiding his grin at his brothers spluttering and losing his place, he continued his little dance, pecking his brother here and there and not saying a word about it. 

Eventually Fili finally took the bait, grabbed Kili during the latest peck and snogged him until his knees felt like they would give out.  
His brother pulled him down to the couch with him, expertly manhandling him until Kili was straddling him, hands tangled in hair, foreheads together.  
Fili knew exactly what he liked and for a while Kili just enjoyed finally being the center of Fili's attention again. 

"Sorry I've been ignoring you so much lately," his brother eventually rumbled, warm breath disturbing sweat damp hair, "it's just that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I don't want to muck it up. I swear I'm going to make it up to you." 

Kili sighed, relaxed and happy and enjoying Fili's gentle nuzzling at his throat.  
Gathering his own thoughts, he tangled their hands together and gently returned:

"It's okay, I get it, I really do.  
I just thought that this way I could help just a bit, too, you know?" the last bit was full of mirth, as Kili used their entwined hands to lazily point at the mistletoe hanging just above them - and pretty much everywhere else in the flat. 

"A good actor has to be able to deal with all kinds of distractions, right?" the grin was wide and unmistakable, like a cat who got the canary, and Fili tried to groan but couldn't quite keep out the bubbling laughter.

The following weeks were still hard, but his little idea, and the constant pecks, brought a bit of levity back into their life. Fili learned how to say "I love you" with nothing but his eyes and an upturned lip, while steadily continuing his lines.  
Occasionally, he even surprised Kili with a peck of his own - or an actual kiss when he had just finished a set and made an effort to put aside a few minutes to enjoy together. 

When the debut finally came and went, Fili got glorious reviews and his road as a rising theatre star was secured.  
As a thank you for putting up with his eccentricities and supporting him through it all, Fili made sure they had plenty of time for long walks through London's snowy parks, visits to Kili's favourite restaurants and plenty of lazy days in bed; just cuddling and talking and enjoying their time together. 

When Fili inevitably got his next role - main, in a smaller play - Kili gleefully put up the tacky plastic mistletoe branches he had found on sale just before New Year's.  
He was rewarded with a laugh and a fierce kiss and the assurance that Kili's pecks and kisses were Fili's personal lucky charm, more than welcome on any day of the year.

**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr](https://patchworkideas.tumblr.com/post/189847783670/gatheringfiki-the-following-ficlet-was-written)


End file.
